Cholar Dal (Chana Dal in a Spicy Gravy spiked with Coconuts)

Oh the simple pleasures of life! To come back home after a particularly tiring day and happily gulping down hot dal n rice while simultaneously eyeballing a favourite show on TV - is BLISS ! Happily perched on the favourite corner, the eating experience gets a whole new meaning when the dal is  the very uber Chana Dal dunked in a spicy gravy with tiny pieces of coconut giving it the necessary crunch ! The whole spices lend an earthy texture to the dish instead of the garam masala and the slightly sweetish taste adds a zing to the otherwise spiced up dal ! This dish is a speciality of the Bengali cuisine and mostly prepared on special occassions or on festivals, though I don't see any reason why not to indulge in it any time you like !

Usually served with Luchis (which is nothing but the flaky Maida Puris) the combo is one rocking affair. I enjoyed the dal immensely with piping hot rice too

What goes :-

• Chana Dal (Bengal gram/Split chickpea) - 175 gms
• Onions - 2 - finely chopped
• Ginger - a small piece - julienned
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Cumin Powder - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Sugar - 1/2 to 1 tsp - to taste
• Red chillis - 2 - to taste
• Green chilli - 1- sliced diagonally and halved - to taste
• Clarified Butter (ghee) - 1 tbsp
• Bay leaves - 2
• Whole Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom - 2 each
• Fresh Coconut pieces - a fistful - finely diced
• Water - enough to soak & pressure cook

How:-

Soak the lentils for 30 odd minutes. Pressure cook the dal with turmeric powder till it is done well but not too mushy ! 

In a pan add the ghee and after it warms, add the bay leaves, red chillis and the whole spices and saute for a few seconds.

Now add the ginger and the onions and saute till it turns a pretty shade of brown. Tip in the coconut pieces and stir well.
Now dunk the cooked lentils with little water and bring it to a boil. Add the salt & sugar to taste. Sprinkle the cumin powder and the slit green chillis and let it simmer till it thickens considerably.

Serve Hot with puris or rice or any other Indian flat bread!


With Luchis - 

With piping hot rice --

Enjoy !!
Linking it to MLLA #35 hosted by Kannada Cuisine, event by Susan and to Priya Mitharwal's Flavours of Bengal , event announcement by Naina